watkins



Patented May 9, I899. 0. H. WATKlNS.

WAGON END GATE. (Application filed Oct. 5, 1897. Renewed Oct. 20, 1898.)

(No Model.)

a a j 04 ORLA n. WATKINS, on ELDORA,

NlTED STATES IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELDORA SPRING MANUFACTURING COMPANY,OF SAME PLACE.

WAGON EN D-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,585, dated May 9,1899. Application filed Qctober 5,1897. Renewed October 20, 1898- SerialNo. 6%,080. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLA I-I. WVA TKINS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Eldora, in the county ofHardin and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Wagon End-Gate,of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an end-gate of simple, cheap,strong, and durable construction which may be readily and quicklyapplied to or detached from an ordinary wagon-box without injuring ormarring the surface of the wagon-box and which will be preventedv fromrattling or becoming loosened by the jarring of the wagon when it is inits locked position. A further object is to provide an end-gate whichmay be easily elevated and then securely held and pivoted near its upperend, so that its lower end may swing rearwardly and permit the contentsof the wagon-box to pass out. A further object is to provide an end-gatewhich may be readily and. quickly placed in position for use as ashoveling-board and when in said position be firmly supported.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof the various parts of the end-gate, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 shows in perspective my improved end-gateattached to a wagon-box in itsele- 5 vated position. Fig. 2 shows a sideelevation of the end-gate'and wagon-box with the enclgate in positionfor use as a shoveling-board and showing by dotted lines the positionthe end-gate assumeswhen in its locked position.

The wagon-box is composed of the sides and bottom 11, and on the inneredge of the rear end of the sides are the parallel vertical strips 12,having spaces between them. These parts are of the ordinary constructionand are connected together in the usual manner.

13 13 indicate two upright side pieces having ribs 1 L thereon, the saidribs 'bei'ng designed to enter the spaces between the ver- 50 ticalstrips 12. The side pieces 13 are attached to the wagon-box by means ofbolts 15.

The end-gate is composed of the back 16, wings 17, and cleats 18 and 19of the ordinary construction. Metal arms 20 arefixed to the end-gate aslight distance below the nected to the outer ends of the arms 20..

The reference-numerals 22 indicate two end-gate-supporting rods pivotedat 23 to the supports 24, which supports are firmly attached to the sidepieces 13 at points above the arms 20 when the end-gate is in its lockedposition. The end-gate-supporting rods are made of spring metal, so thatthey may be bent as desired, but when released will spring back to theirnormal positions. The free ends of said rods 22 are bent rearwardly anddownwardly to form the hooks 24., which engage the arms 20 when theend-gate is in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the saidrods 22 are designed to pass through the loops 21 on the arms 20.

25 indicates two hooks attached to the upright'side pieces 13 above thesupports 24 and designed to receive the rods 22 when the end-gate is inits elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The reference-numerals 26 indicate two hooks attached to the end-gate,near the lower corners thereof, and designed to engage with two matinghooks 27, attached to the under surface of the side pieces 13. 1preferably employ a guide 28, fixed to the central portion of the cleat19 and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. When the endgate'is in its lowered position, the guide touches the under surface of thewagon-box and prevents the part of the end-gate to which it is attachedfrom moving upwardly, so that the said hooks 26 and 27 cannot becomedisengagedfrom each other when in this position.

The reference-numerals 29 indicate two metal plates attached to the endsof the cleat 19 and having their free ends extendedrearwardly,outwardly, and then forwardly to form the hooks 30. These hooks 30 aredecleat 18 and metal loops 21 are pivotally conthereof and extendingrearwardly therefrom.

The end-gate-supporting rods 22 are placed on the inner sides of theseposts when the end-gate is in its locked position, and the said postsare so placed with relation to the hooks '30 and the pivotal points 23of the end-gateing rods 22 are pivoted to the supports 24 at pointsslightly in advance of the arms 20, so that when the said rods engagethe hooks they will be bent rearwardly and will therefore exert arearward pressure upon the hooks 30, which will prevent the end-gatefrom moving longitudinally of the wagon-box. This inward and rearwardpressure of the endgate-snpporting rods will obviously prevent theend-gate from rattling and will also prevent the said rods 22 frombecoming accidentally disengaged from the hooks 30.

In practical operation the end-gate is secured in its locked position byplacing the end-gate supporting rods 22 on the innersides of the posts3i and then moving the said rods outwardlyand downwardly untiltheyengage with the hooks 30.

The end-gate may be secured in its elevated position, as shown in Fig.1, by moving the end-gate-supporting rods 22 upwardly and forwardly andthen engaging the said rods with the hooks 25. When in this position, itis obvious that the upper portion of the end-gate is firmly held andthat the lower portion thereof may be moved rearwardly, as is the commonpractice in unloading grain from a wagon.

WVhen it is desired to use the end-gate as a shoveling-board, the upperend thereof is moved rearwardly and downwardly untilthe hooks 24 on theend-gate-supporting rods 22 The end-gate is firmlyengage the arms 20.held in this position at one end by the said rods 22 and at the otherend by the hooks 26 and 27 and the guide 28.

To-detach the end-gate from the wagon, the end-gate is placed in itslowered position, as shown in Fig. 2, and then the loops 21 are moveddownwardly. The end-gate is next elevated, which will obviouslydisengage the rods 22 from the loops 21, and the hooks 26 are thendisconnected from their mating hooks 27 on the side pieces 13. Thisobviously will detach the end-gate proper from the wagon-box. Theupright side pieces 13 are removed from the wagon-box by detaching thebolts 15, and since the end-gate is connected with the wagon-box only bythe bolts 15 it is obvious that the outer surface of the wagon-box willnot be injured or marred by attaching the endgate to the wagon.

Having thus described the construction, arrangement, and functions ofthe various parts of the end-gate, what I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

1. A wagon end-gate, comprising upright side pieces attached vto thewagon-box, two end-gate-supporting rods pivoted to the upright sidepieces near their upper ends, means for detachabl y connecting theend-gate to the lower portions of the upright side pieces, arms fixed tothe end-gate at the upper portions thereof, loops on said arms designedto receive the end-gate-supporting rods, posts attached to the centralportions of the sides of the end-gate, hooks attached to the lowerportion of the end-gate and designed to receive the end-gate-supportingrods when the end-gate is in its locked position, and hooks attached tothe upper portions of the upright side pieces and designed to receivethe endgate-supporting rods when the end-gate is in its elevatedposition, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

2. A wagon end-gate, comprising in com bination, two upright side pieceshaving ribs on their outer surfaces to enter the spaces between thecleats on the wagon-box, bolts for connecting the upright side pieces tothe wagon -box, two end-gate-supporting rods made of spring metal,pivoted to the upper portions of the upright side pieces, and havinghooks formed on their free ends, hooks 26 on the lower corners of theend-gate, and mating hooks 27 fixed to the under surface of the uprightside pieces, arms attached to the upper portion of the end-gate,loopsconnected with said arms and designed to receive theend-gate-supporting rods, posts 31 fixed to the central portions of thesides of the endgate, plates 29 fixed to the lower portion of theend-gate and having hooks 30 thereon, hooks 25 attached to the upperportions of the upright side pieces, and a guide 28 attached to thelower portion of the end-gate, all arranged and combined to operatesubstantially in the manner set forth and for the purposes stated.

. ORLA I-I. WATKINS. Vitnesses:

B. F. OoRBE'rT, E. H. LUNDY.

